The Mando and his Boy
by StarryEyedSpacegirl
Summary: A series of one-shot adventures for the Mando and his yoda-ling that we all love so well! Each chapter will incorporate three random objects that I must somehow weave into the narrative. Trying to stretch my creative muscles while also writing about my favorite adopted father/son duo. I know it'll be fun for me to write, and I hope for you to read as well! (Some chap 9 spoilers!)
1. A Stolen Ring, a Spider, and a Stranger

**A stolen ring, fear of spiders, and a sinister stranger**

"Hey, what're you doing back there?"

Din Djarin looked over his shoulder at The Child, who tipped its head to the side. Eight spindly legs wiggled desperately around the sides of its mouth as it chewed happily.

Din couldn't repress a shudder. "Spit that out!"

It momentarily halted its munching to stare at the Mandalorian with guileless eyes.

"I said spit it out!"

He made as if to get up when a flashing light on his console caught his attention, and a proximity alarm sounded.

"Looks like we've got incoming." He flipped some switches to turn off the alarm while he searched for its source. It proved an unnecessary exercise as a shot was fired across his starboard engine, and the spacecraft in question soon followed.

"Consider that your only warning Mandalorian." A raspy voice crackled over the comm frequency.

Din stared at the foreign spacecraft with some interest, but very little concern. It was your run-of-the-mill junker with no obvious modifications, and death threats were a dime a dozen these days, especially now that he had The Kid.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced."

"Don't play coy. You have something of mine, and I want it back."

Now that he thought about it, the voice did have a familiar ring to it. But since it didn't immediately summon feelings of panic, he guessed the pilot wasn't going to be too big of a problem. "I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else."

"The bounty you took, Mythrol. When he was delivered to The Guild he was missing something that was very important to me."

"Really." It took him a moment to recognize the name, then realized that it was his last bounty before he was hired to find The Kid. It felt like a long time ago, and he couldn't remember having taken anything from the man. It wasn't honorable to take anything extra from the body of a victim.

The stranger fired again, the laser passing so close to his ship that he thought it might have singed a nacelle.

The voice was now dark with anger. "I want that ring Mando!"

Ring? He cast his mind back, then suddenly he remembered. He'd found it on the floor near the carbon chamber while he was on his way to the desert planet. It has seemed of very little importance at the time, and he hadn't bothered to keep track of it. He turned around at looked at The Child, who was staring at him curiously.

"What'd you do with the ring Kid?"

Of course it didn't answer, and he hadn't really expected it to. However, it did slide slowly off its chair, a three fingered hand closed in a tiny fist. It waddled over and looked up at him, right arm extended expectantly.

He gazed at it in surprise, then extended his own hand. "Do you have it?"

It opened its palm, its orb like eyes glistening in the dim glow of the cockpit lights.

"What the-? Gah!" He cursed and dropped the mangled, twitching spider onto the floor. He stamped on it until it was nothing but a thin film of goo. His hand had automatically unholstered his pistol, and for a moment he considered shooting at the remains for good measure.

The baby had already taken possession of the chair he'd exited in his haste to kill the disgusting creature, and was reaching for its favorite control handle.

He wiped his spit covered glove on the corner of his cape before unscrewing the ball and passing it to the child. As he set it down on the floor, he made a mental note to change the cape out for a new one as soon as the current situation was under control.

"Where's the ring Mando?"

The sinister stranger was clearly starting to get impatient, and Din was almost ready to blast the small junker to smithereens. The only reason he was holding back was because The Kid was now his sole responsibility, and he was trying to be a good role model.

"What's so important about it?" He asked, hoping the question would buy him some time while he searched the cabin.

"It has belonged to my family for many generations. It's my birthright, and I will not dishonor my clan by becoming the first to lose it!"

If it was a matter of honor, Din could understand that. However he doubted it was the truth. If it really was so important, then why had he lost it to Mythrol in the first place?

He looked down at his Foundling. It was holding the ball in front of its face with intense concentration, ears twitching as it made baby noises. He noticed a bulge in its cloak and reached over to slip his fingers in the pocket.

"Got it."

The child reached out as he withdrew the ring, releasing a sound of concern.

"Sorry little one, but I need to return this to its owner."

Its little face screwed up, lip quivering.

"This doesn't belong to you."

It toddled forward, hand still extended, fingers stretching hopefully. Tears glistened in its eyes.

Din hesitated.

It grabbed his leg and looked up at him.

They stared at each other for a moment before he released a heavy sigh and dropped it into the baby's outstretched hand. He turned back to the window. "I'm no longer in a position to return it. I'm sorry."

The voice turned hostile. "You soon will be."

"If you attack me, I'll have no choice but to defend myself."

His shields held as the stranger's next shot contacted his forward shield.

He flipped the guard on the trigger. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

The junker's shields immediately went down.

"Retreat or I will disable you."

The stranger screamed something and fired again.

Din shook his head as he pushed the trigger. "Watch your language."

The junker's left engine exploded in a hail of fire.

"You can't run forever Mando!"

Din reset his autopilot and calmly got back on his flight plan before turning in his chair to look at The Kid. The tears were gone, and it was now fully occupied trying to bite both the ring and the ball at once. It gazed inquisitively up at him as he lifted it into his lap.

"Let this be a lesson to you. If you clearly outgun the competition, always make sure that you give a warning before you open fire. This is the way."

The baby babbled.

"Good. Now let's get out of here.


	2. A Taxi, An Old Enemy, and V-Day pt I

Finally, they'd found a planet where he knew no one. Or more specifically, where no one knew him. It was a small, unassuming little planet made primarily of towering gnarltrees and large oceans of fog that swam above shallow pools of water. Sprawling pockets of civilization built upon wooden stilts were dotted here and there above the clear pools nestled between forests. It wasn't exactly the kind of place Din imagined he'd find a good paying job, but his source had assured him otherwise.

"Is that your boy? He is so handsome, and smart! You can tell by looking into the eyes. So luminous."

The Mandalorian buried a sigh. He'd been forced to land his ship far outside the reaches of D'Thracc, one of the planet's largest cities, and a taxi barge had been waiting for him when he arrived. He wasn't in much of a hurry, which was good because the local he was paying to take him- a female, fish-like creature- had informed him that the fog would require them to be cautious.

Which apparently meant that they would be moving at the pace of a Hutt who'd just eaten a large meal.

One of the taxi-woman's large eyes stared out into the fog while the other stared at him. "You don't look like the father type to me, if you don't mind my saying."

He didn't mind, but he certainly had no comment to give. Luckily she didn't require a response. From the moment he'd stepped on board, it became clear that she wouldn't require him to participate in the conversation.

"I know about you Mandalorian types. So silent and mysterious. I would ask how you came to have such a child, but I'm afraid I wouldn't like the answer. Did you kill its parents? No that's not right, your kind likes to take in orphans, don't you? So is it an orphan? It must be, for you certainly don't appear to be its father. You don't have the ears for it. Hold on, we're making a turn here."

He swayed slightly as the woman guided them through a narrow straights and around a sharp corner that had suddenly emerged from the fog. The Asset was cooing, and Din gently but firmly pulled a glowing leaf stalk from its grasp. He wasn't sure where the baby had gotten it from, especially considering it was strapped securely to his chest. He'd tried keeping it on his back on several occasions, which was more convenient, but he'd learned very quickly that he needed to keep an eye on it for its safety and his own sanity. The Child had an incredible aptitude for getting into trouble.

As soon as the fish-woman finished her impressive display of navigation, she tsked. "Too many younglings without parents these days thanks to the Empire. What a terrible business that was. Death and destruction around the galaxy. We're lucky we had nothing the Empire wanted, or we'd have been in dire straights no doubt."

Her one unblinking eye that was facing him was roving around, watching the fog, until it landed on him. "It would be incredibly difficult to grow up without a mother's love to guide and support, I'm sure you'd agree."

"Yes." Din finally hazarded to answer, mostly because he was starting to sweat under the woman's unnerving gaze.

The fact of the matter was, Din was beginning to wonder whether it would be a good idea to get The Kid a babysitter. He was having a hard enough time finding jobs, let alone find the time to make sure it was properly fed and staying out of trouble. He certainly had enough problems of his own, as illustrated so poignantly by his latest botched job for Ranzar, but add in a toddler and now he was in for a lifetime of trouble.

Unfortunately for him, his trustworthy acquaintances were few and diminishing at an alarming rate. Cara wasn't exactly the baby-watching sort, and Kuiil had firmly denied his request to join him with a final "I have spoken". It was too bad Omera already had a child of her own. She would have been an ideal addition to his crew, for many reasons. However, he would never ask her to abandon the safety and security of her planet for the dangers of his lifestyle. She wouldn't agree to it anyway. Living on the run was no way to raise a child she'd say, as he would have to agree, as he was learning on an almost daily basis.

No, it was better with just him and The Asset. And since those fobs were still floating around in the hands of other guild members, it looked like it was going to be that way for a long time.

"Here, give him some of this, he looks hungry."

Din accepted the nondescript strip of brown bark as a welcome distraction from his busy thoughts. He analyzed the food slowly before handing it to the baby, who immediately stuck it into its mouth. Another reason he liked to keep an eye on it. Everything went into its mouth, dead, alive, or otherwise.

He squinted out into the swirling mist, fighting his ever present impulse to reach for his blaster. He knew this place was safe enough, but he was itching for something to take his mind off his sudden melancholy. Being a Mandalorian was an honor and a responsibility, and Din had never regretted swearing into the order. Although he could admit that in the beginning, loneliness was a constant companion. It had taken years of discipline but he eventually defeated it, or so he thought. When he found The Asset, it had snuck back in like an old enemy that knew him well, striking him between the breaks of his beskar armor.

"You must be very lonely, being out there all on your own Mandalorian."

If he didn't know better he'd say the old fish-woman had read the plaintive look that had crossed his face, but he knew it was most likely a well aimed shot in the dark. One of the greatest advantages to his accouterments was that it hid all of his emotion behind a mask of blank stoicism. But this wouldn't be the first time someone had assumed they knew what Din was thinking, and it wouldn't be the last time he chose not to answer.

"Well don't you worry about it. You came to D'Thracc at a perfect time! There's a custom we like to celebrate here every year, a little something called D'es Valen T'ni. The celebration is starting tonight, and I assure you that you won't be short a shortage of interested parties who will wish to join with you."

Din was glad she had finally removed her eye from him so she didn't see his involuntary shudder.

D'es Valen T'ni. The love festival. Valentine's Day.

He couldn't imagine how such a frivolous and humiliating tradition had infected every corner of the galaxy. He had spent countless years evading it, and now because of The Child he was walking right into the worst sort of misfortune. Yet, The Child would be most likely be his saving mercy. If his contact was correct, he should find his next client in D'Thracc and he could be on his way by first light.

Din felt a tug on his shoulder and realized The Child had finished eating the bark, and was now chewing on the bag. He distracted it with his finger, which is grasped and stared at with great interest.

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm here on business."

She clucked her tongue. "It is too bad, for you are a mighty specimen. But perhaps you will reconsider when your business is through. If you are to be here for the week then there will be many opportunities to partake."

"I plan on leaving in the morning."

She clucked her tongue again. "It is your loss."

The Child's chattering was the only sound to disrupt the heavy silence that descended upon the taxi's occupants until the far away strains of music and revelry began to whisper through the thick mist. Almost half an hour passed before she spoke again.

"We are almost to the outskirts of the city."

As if on cue, long spindly spires of wood began to emerge like specters out of the fog.

She navigated through a fairly wide channel that was overflowing with skiffs and taxis, the music and laughter getting louder as they started for the heart of the city. Din's nerves were already starting to fray. Perhaps it was the long night's he'd spent trying to figure out how to take care of The Child, but he just didn't have the patience he used to for these sorts of things. If only Cara were here, he'd at least have someone to exchange disgusted glances with while he conducted his business.

And why was everything red? Din chose to ignore the flirtations thrown at him as he wove through the colorful crowds, brushing heart shaped confetti from his shoulder with irritation. If he was lucky, he would find the contact and be back to his ship within the hour. Why wait till morning when it was clear he wouldn't be able to get sleep because of the noise? Besides, he wasn't so sure the Kid should be exposed to such a tradition. He was far too young for this sort of thing. It was all he could do not to cover its eyes.

When he finally found his contact, it was in the middle of a wild party. The creature was clearly having the time of its life drinking and playing some kind of game that clearly indicated that there was no such thing as monogamy on this planet.

He folded his arms and stared at the creature till it realized he was there, and it jumped to its many feet, clearly intoxicated. "Ah my friend! You have arrived at the perfect time! Join us for a game? F'la Sequent'a Utrem. There's no need to learn the rules, for there are none!"

The group behind him laughed uproariously.

"Let's just get this over with."

"Whatever you want Mandalorian." It shrugged, tentacles indicating a back room. It had to shoo several lovers from the dark corners before it could freely speak. As it started to talk, Din began to feel dread, and when it finished, borderline panic.

"You mean your target is here at the festival?"

"Exactly!" It passed over a puck, and Din opened it. It was a creature of the same race, although clearly another sex.

"Why not hire some local thugs to get rid of your problem? It would have cost you a lot less."

"And caused a lot more speculation." It bellowed, belaying its intent on secrecy. "I wouldn't want anyone to talk, and the people here love to talk. No I'd rather pay you the fee and have you get rid of my problem quietly."

Din was having a crisis. He desperately needed the money, but did he really want to hang around for an entire week, surrounded by lovelorn idiots, just to get rid of this things' jealous lover? Eventually, he settled upon a halfway decent idea. "I'll meet you here in three nights time on the south docks of the city. I'll also require more of that bark for the little one."

"Whatever you ask you shall have!" Many tentacles slapped Din across his shoulders and with a nod he swept out of the room.

As he watched some revelers dump a wriggling body over the side of the railing, cheering at the resounding splash, he looked down at the small child strapped to his chest. It looked up at him and smiled a toothy grin.

Din needed this job. They needed this job. He would handle two more nights in the this town even if it killed him. And who knows, maybe after a night or two in this godforsaken city, he'd be cured from his loneliness for good.

One could only hope.


	3. A Taxi, An Old Enemy, & V-Day Pt II

This city was going to kill him.

Din had spent hours searching for a quiet place to stay, and all he could find was a seedy looking inn that was clearly a hub for black market trading. If he'd been alone it wouldn't have mattered, but he had his youngling to think of, and he had no desire to sleep with a knife under his pillow and a blaster in his hand. In the end, he was forced to settle on a place that was in the middle of the city for lack of better options.

He waited until nightfall before venturing out into the festival. The child was safe inside the satchel at his hip, and Din hoped it wouldn't attempt to peek outside. D'Thracc was like one giant pleasure house, filled with gambling, drinking, carousing, and love-making at every turn, and just as the fish-woman had predicted, the inhabitants of the city seemed obsessed with Din. Everywhere he went, amorous eyes seemed to follow. He'd only been outside for a few hours and he'd already received seven marriage proposals, several invitations to a _"choosing ceremony",_ a box of candies, and vials of multicolored liquid he assumed were psychedelics. Inappropriate gifts for a man who obviously had a child in his care, yet the candies did keep The Child occupied. And speaking of occupied...

Din handed it another candy as its fingers reached into his field of vision. It took one look at it and handed it back. Din randomly grabbed another and offered it for its inspection, and this time The Child accepted it. They'd gone through this dance several times in the last hour, but Din wasn't too upset. It was keeping The Kid happy and quiet, which was enough for him.

He went back to his inspection of the skiff from the shadows of the dock.

His mark's name was Sabin, a Lol'go, the same species as his client. It hadn't taken him long to locate her, and though he'd only been there a short time he was already considering heading back to the hotel. She was hosting a small party on the dock, and clearly wasn't planning on going anywhere anytime soon.

As he absentmindedly slipped one of the discarded candies under his mask and into his mouth, he wondered if he should stop taking jobs that involved civil disputes. They were morally grey jobs that usually began messy and ended badly, which is why he preferred to get his money capturing criminals. There typically wasn't any question regarding their guilt in the eyes of the law.

Din blinked slowly. There must have been something wrong with him, because the heavy fog appeared to be swirling to the music while the water beneath glowed as red as the moon. He started to sweat, and tried to lift his finger to pull at his collar only to lose his balance and slump against a pole. Overcome by an incredible lethargy, he was unable to support himself and slid all the way to the floor, watching as the candies bounced out of the box in his hand and scatter like blaze bugs through the cracks in the wood planks.

He sat there for an hour or a moment, he couldn't tell, when there was a pounding like drums. Then things began to tilt as he was lifted to his feet. He registered a voice laced with concern and allowed himself to be led into a brightly lit room. His eyes were drawn to a torch that sparkled on the wall as he fell onto his back, and mere moments later felt a sharp sting in his neck. The effects were almost instantaneous. He barely had time to lift the bottom of his helmet as he gagged and lost the contents of his stomach into a pitcher. When it was clear he had nothing left to give, he wiped his face and fell back against the pillow. His mind was much clearer now, although his body ached like he'd been run over by a mudhorn.

"You shouldn't have eaten the candy." A voice said.

Din felt around for his satchel, but came up empty. "Where is it?"

"He's here, and very happy."

He heard a slurp and a laugh, and tipped his head to the side. The Child was sitting on a cushion nearby, splashing the contents of the bowl in its lap all over its face and tunic while looking completely unapologetic about it.

"It's balka greens. It will help with his mental acuity. It is also a good hangover cure." Tentacles reached over to hand him a cup with a straw.

It was Sabin.

Din accepted the offering and took a slow sip.

"Rule number one of D'es Valen T'ni, never accept candy from strangers. You are fortunate that not all of them contained the drug, or else the child would have suffered the effects as well."

Fortune, or fate? He looked again at the little one, who was gracing him with a green toothy grin. He had a feeling The Foundling had known about the drugs all along, which explained why it had been so choosy with the candies. If he'd been paying closer attention, perhaps he would have realized sooner and saved himself the embarrassment of passing out on the dock.

"Why are you here Mandalorian? I highly doubt it is for the festival, for I don't believe your kind choose mates in this way."

"I'm here for a job."

"Hmm." She said, and Din got the feeling she had already guessed why he'd been standing on her particular dock.

Yet she remained composed as she wiped a fleck of leaf off The Child's ear and straightened it's collar. "I suppose you're being paid very well."

"I'm beginning to think not well enough."

She smiled. "You can always ask a higher price. J'rell can afford to pay since he cheats half the merchants of the city in his gaming houses."

He didn't bother to ask how she'd known he'd been hired by J'rell. Sabin was clearly intelligent enough to put two and two together.

He examined her closely as he took another sip of balka. She wasn't acting like a jealous lover as his client had claimed. In fact, she appeared to be quite happy. If he were to hazard a guess, he'd say J'rell was the jealous one in the relationship. Yet regardless of this fact, he always finished a job. It's what kept him in business and maintained his reputation.

But somehow this didn't feel right. He was a man of honor, and a man of honor didn't put away decent people for a few credits.

He set aside his cup and stood, a plan already forming in his mind. "Thank you for your kindness and hospitality. If it's not too much to ask, could I borrow one of your cloaks? My armor makes me feel more conspicuous here than I prefer. I will gladly pay you for it."

"No need. It is my gift."

Despite this town's faulty degree of admiration for love-making, Din couldn't deny that they excelled at hospitality.

When Sabin reappeared with the cloak, he threw it over his shoulders and picked up The Baby. "If I were you, I'd leave D'Thracc after sundown tomorrow."

"Sage advice. I have been meaning to visit family across planet for some time."

"And maybe you can arrange to buy a new skiff. It seems likely that someone will notice when this one is gone."

"I understand."

He hesitated at the door. "I'm sorry."

She smiled sadly. "So am I."

* * *

Din suddenly found himself with a lot of time on his hands, and gladly took the opportunity to stay inside as often as possible. He went out in the morning the next day to buy The Child a tunic and a new toy, and for an hour in the evening to gather intel on his next mark. The rest of the time was spent keeping The Child entertained.

As it neared sundown on the third day, he strapped on his satchel with The Kid inside and slipped on the cloak, making his way back to the seedy hotel. He waited across the room for half an hour, watching his mark from a safe distance. The Lol'go was the general size and shape as Sabin, although a little shabbier in appearance, but he thought they might pass as the same person in the dark. The creature was already a few drinks deep when Din ordered one from the barkeep and added one of his colorful vials into the mug. With any luck the creature would pass out, and he had a feeling the it would be too drunk to be suspicious, a theory that was proven correct almost as soon as he sat down at the table.

"I was wondering if you know where I might find some Thresh."

"You've come to the right place." The creature slurred. "I know how to get the good stuff."

Din pushed the mug towards it. "Have a drink on me."

"Don't mind if I do." It grinned, and almost immediately finished the glass. Within seconds of wiping it's lips of foam, it's eyes had rolled back into it's head and it slumped senseless onto the table.

Din put the creature in cuffs and slipped Sabin's cloak onto its shoulders.

"With any luck nobody will be able to tell the difference until we're long gone."

He heard The Child babble something in response.

"Right." He grunted as he heaved the unconscious dealer over his shoulder and began his short trek down to the docks.

He made it right at sundown, and dumped the senseless body in front of his client's contact.

"J'rell didn't tell you to kill her." The crustacean wrinkled its face in distaste.

"Not dead, just passed out."

The contact didn't take much time to inspect the Lol'go, barely giving it a once over before sniffing. "Very well. Your money and supplies are already on the barge, and the taxi is paid for."

He looked over and realized that he would be taken back to his ship by the same fish-wife that brought him into the city. She was trying not to look disapproving, but was failing miserably. He confirmed his payment before stepping on board. "Tell J'rell he has one less problem to worry about."

The contact didn't bother to reply as the fish-wife guided them out of the port and into the enveloping mist. The trip took over an hour in a stifling silence. She didn't attempt to address him until the Razorcrest loomed into view.

"That was a bad deal Mandalorian. Sabin was a good woman. She doesn't deserve to be handed over to those crooks."

"She wasn't."

The fish-wife frowned. "But the body..."

He shrugged. "In the dark one Lol'go looks like another. Sabin is still free and D'Thracc has one less dealer on its streets."

A slow grin spread across her wrinkled face. "You are an honorable man."

As soon as he'd finished offloading his goods, she pushed off the dock with a wave. "Safe travels Mandalorian, and may you find solace in the arms of a lover's embrace."

As he raised in arm in farewell, the face of one particular widow flashed across his mind, and he found that the loneliness was not so painful as it had been before.

Perhaps this place had cured him after all.


	4. Seeing Double Pt I

**Identical Twins, A Party Invitation, and A Locked Closet Pt. I**

Din had finally learned to be cautious. The Asset was still locked away in a closet aboard the Razorcrest, but unlike his trip to Tatooine he'd done all that was humanly possible to child proof his ship. The cabin, cargo bay, and weapon's locker were secured with passcodes, and he'd rigged the controls so it would be impossible to accidentally initiate a start-up sequence. He'd even made sure to double and triple check the ship before handing it over to the young mechanic at the dock.

He was almost positive The Kid couldn't get out, yet there was an inkling of unease in the back of his mind. The Child had an uncanny ability to be where Din did not wish it to be, and to appear as if from thin air whenever was most inconvenient. It had done it before, It could do it again.

He leaned back in his seat in the dingy cantina to spy out the window at the docking bay, confirming that there was no tiny creature toddling down the ramp. So far so good.

"Mandalorian?"

He pulled his attention away from the ship below to look at the young woman in front of him. She was small with dark skin and long, blue braids that fell down almost to her knees. The wide violet eyes that were trained on him held both curiosity and wariness. She seemed to be waiting for him to make the first move, so he inclined his head and extended a hand. She sat, not across from him as he'd anticipated, but to his immediate right, scooting so close that he was tempted to put a little space between them. Instead he sat perfectly at ease, the helmet a buffer for his discomfort.

She extended a small, gloved hand towards him and whispered. "Tia, at your service."

As Din shook her hand, he felt a vague sense of pity. Tia was not his usual sort of client. She hardly looked old enough to create enemies, let alone dig up the funds to pay for a bounty hunter to take them down. Whatever the mark did to her must have been pretty bad, and he did his best not to speculate what it might have been. Life could be cruel sometimes, even for the innocent.

"I know you came a long way to be here. Let me buy you a drink." She offered, then reddened a little. "Oh I'm sorry."

"It's not a problem."

He wasn't sure if Tia was old enough to drink, but the bartender didn't seem to care about that sort of thing as he took her order with the same lackluster expression that all bartenders seemed to wear. When her drink came, she tipped her head back and took a swig, only to spit it out, sputtering. His brows rose. She seemed nervous, but about what he couldn't imagine.

That inkling of unease came back with a vengeance, and while she tried to clean up the front of her brown tunic he took a quick look out at the ship. No droids were lingering around the hull, as per his instructions, and the mechanic was hauling a bag of tools into the cargo bay. Everything was quiet, which meant The Asset was still safe and sound in the closet. For now.

"I'm sorry." The girl gasped, and he brought his attention back to the table. She was wiping her face on her sleeve, eyes watering. "I don't know how these things usually go, but I heard that you're the best around."

Her fingers were playing the the edge of her mug as she spoke, her eyes glued to the front of his mask. "I'm afraid I don't have a puck or a fob to give you, but I have a contact here in the city who may have some information about where he was last seen."

"Who's the target?"

"Black Krrsantan."

He frowned slightly at the mention of the infamous Wookiee. There were many who had complaints about this particular bounty hunter, but none were brave enough to offer a reward for his capture. "It's against guild rules to take money for bringing in other bounty hunters."

Not to mention the fact that this Wookiee was an extremely dangerous, and as such would cost way more than his usual clientele to bring in.

"I thought you weren't running with the guild anymore?"

The naive question was enough to put Din on his guard. She didn't appear to be the dangerous type, but he had unusual array of scars that reminded him that looks could be deceiving. He narrowed his eyes her. Her name didn't ring any bells, but there was something familiar about her. Maybe it was the look in her eyes, but he had a feeling that they'd met before.

"It would cost you triple my usual fee. What you're asking is no mean feat."

"I'm prepared to pay it," she said earnestly, "To see Krrsantan brought in, I would give almost anything."

Of this fact, he knew she was telling the truth. Hatred was a difficult thing to hide, and it was written clearly on the fringes of her face.

He stood to leave. "I'll have to think about it."

She scrambled to her feet, placing a hand on his arm. "Please, wait!"

He was so surprised by the action that he froze.

"If you would only come and hear what our contact has to say. He's risking a lot to come here and give us this information, and time is of the essence. Krrsantan rarely stays in the same place for long. This may be our only chance to ensure his capture."

Us. Our.

That inkling of unease was back.

He slowly sat back down, giving the girl's face a more serious inspection. "Where does this contact want to meet?"

She lowered her voice and leaned in close, while at the same time pressing an identification card into his hand. "This is an invitation to an exclusive party being held in the upper city apartments at midnight. Show this to the guard at the entrance and you'll be let in, no questions. I can meet you once you're inside and we'll meet the contact in the lounge."

"Seems like a pretty public place for a secret meeting."

"There's going to be a lot of people, and more noise means fewer possibilities for being overheard."

It sounded like a fairly naive plan to him. Perhaps she wouldn't raise any interest, but once he arrived he'd bring undue attention to himself simply for being a Mandalorian.

He flipped the identification card over in his fingers, pretending to examine it while at the same time examining her. She was so close that he could smell her strange perfume, and her violet eyes appeared to be doing their best not to dart away.

"I'll need to get a few things from my ship."

There. It had been the merest of movements, but her eyes had flicked towards the window that looked down at the docking bay.

He made a few mental calculations. By sitting next to him rather than across the table, she had certainly positioned herself to have a good view of it. But how could she have known it was his ship unless she'd been watching him? Or perhaps she had an accomplice.

The insight struck like lightning. Add a few layers of dirt, head wrap, and a flash of purple hair, and you'd have someone who greatly resembled the mechanic who'd met him at the dock.

Identical twins. How could he have missed it? They had the same violet eyes, and even smelled the same. Like musk-rose.

If he was lucky, they were just a pair of common thieves who thought he was an easy mark. If he was unlucky, then they were ransacking his ship for something far more valuable than he was prepared to part with.

His heart was pounding, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Alright. I'll meet you at the party at midnight."

"Oh thank you!" She looked relieved, but seemed panicked when he once again stood to leave. "Wait!"

"For what?"

Her eyes widened a little, and seemed to be trying to come up with an answer when he swept past her. He stepped onto the balcony and made a few mental calculations before dropping into the docking bay. It was a lot farther down than he'd anticipated, but he couldn't afford to got all the way around to the entrance, not based on the panic he'd seen in the girl's eyes. He only allowed himself a moment of acknowledging the pain in his shins before he strode onto his ship. The mechanic was nowhere to be found and nothing looked out of place, but it felt wrong. The mechanic's bag was empty, but sitting next to the closet that contained The Child. A small tool sat next to the lock, and he felt momentary relief that the lock hadn't yet been cracked.

Yet that feeling didn't last long. He couldn't imagine that Tia had managed to warn her twin in time for her to leave the ship before he arrived. He'd had his eyes on the Razorcrest from the moment he stepped onto the balcony, which meant that the intruder was still on board. He readied his hand on his blaster. His ship was small, which meant she was either in the cockpit or in the cargo hold. He doubted she would run into the corner with no escape, so she was probably hiding somewhere in plain sight...

His blaster cleared his holster at the same time he was knocked to the floor. His blaster was kicked across the compartment, and when he managed to roll over his assailant was already gone. He scrambled to his knees only to hear movement from his blind side. Luckily his attacker did not have the strength of Cara or else he would have been knocked out cold. As it was, he managed to turn his head enough that the spanner glanced off the side of his helmet with little more than a loud noise. He threw his elbow back, only to meet thin air.

He spun on his knee and raised his flamethrower at the same moment his blaster was leveled at his chest.

"Don't move."

He stifled a sigh. "I suppose you're here for The Kid."


	5. Seeing Double Pt 2

"So It is a child." The girl's face was as inscrutable as carbonite, except for the slight narrowing of her eyes. Unlike her sister, she seemed extremely competent at her job, and he wasn't thrilled to be at the other end of his own weapon in her hands. She looked ready to pull the trigger at any slight provocation.

A quick flickering of the mechanic's gaze clued him into the arrival of Tia, who was trying to stifle her labored breaths behind him.

He slowly moved his arms so they were up in a gesture of surrender. "I suppose you and your sister weren't actually planning to hire me to bring in Krrsantan."

"Tia told you the truth." The girl bit out. "We want him."

"Alive." Tia inserted.

"Alive." She agreed, although her tone suggested otherwise.

"No offense, but it's difficult for me to discuss business when my own blaster is pointed at my head."

"You'll have to forgive me for being cautious. I didn't believe you'd be open to negotiations after you discovered me trying to break into your ship."

Well, she wasn't wrong he supposed.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Ghia."

"Well Ghia, as I told your sister, I don't think you can afford me."

"Whatever you want, we will pay you on receipt of the prisoner."

"I don't take Imperial credits."

"We would never offer you dirty money." She spat, and Din felt comforted in the fact that they were no friend of the old Empire.

"I also don't take kindly to people who try to take my stuff without permission."

"The Asset isn't yours Mandalorian."

"I beg to differ. Without me, It would have been taken by the Empire and no one would have known of Its existence. It is mine by all rights."

"Nevertheless, news of The Asset has gone out far and wide and is of great interest to many."

"Our superiors included." Tia slid into Din's field of vision. She had acquired a weapon, although it was thankfully still snug in its holster.

So they were not thieves, but spies. An odd choice of career considering their youth and obvious inexperience with subterfuge. "Who exactly are your superiors?"

The girls looked at each other in silence and Din sighed. "If you aren't Imperial or Guild, then you simply could have asked to see It. As you mentioned, it's no secret that I carry It aboard my ship."

"Past mistakes have taught us not to trust in the cooperation of strangers. We've been taken for fools before."

"I understand."

"Do you?" Ghia's face darkened as she took a step towards him. "Do you know what it is to be taken in by a lie, then have your whole world stripped away? To lose your innocence and dignity as a slave, in constant fear not just for one's own life but for the life of a sister?"

Silence hung heavy after this pronouncement. Tia looked stricken, but her sister's eyes bored into Din's very soul.

The facts were beginning to fit together. The two sisters were former slaves, here on official business but on a personal vendetta against Krrsantan, a mercenary who was well known for the acquisition and peddling of human cargo.

Disgust burned deep in his gut. "I'm sorry."

His words were heavy, and as he said them he watched Ghia's angry facade falter for an instant, then fall immediately back in place. "It's in the past, and we do what we must to forget, do we not Mandalorian?"

"Yes."

World weariness hung heavy on the planes of her face, frown lines permanently etched between her eyes and the corners of her mouth. She seemed infinitely older than her twin, who's idealism and youth had somehow survived their imprisonment. He felt a sort of kinship with the girl in front of him. He knew what it was like to have childhood cut short by circumstances beyond his control.

"Who do you work for?"

There was a long pause.

"Resistance fighters," Tia offered at last, "friends of the Old Republic."

He had never been a fan of the Republic. They hadn't done much to stop the spread of chaos throughout the galaxy, chaos that led to his parents' deaths. However, the Resistance had single-handedly brought down the Empire and he supposed he owed them something for that. At the very least he felt duty bound to offer these girls his services, since it was within his power to give them some measure of freedom their past.

"I'm prepared to make a deal. You want to examine The Asset, and I want to get paid. As I no longer work for the Guild I'll have no problems bringing in Krrsantan, and I'm willing to bring him in for only double my usual fee."

"In exchange for what?" Ghia asked suspiciously.

As if in response to this question, the closet opened with a gentle whoosh, and there The Child stood, grinning up at them.

Tia gasped.

Din sighed. "A few days free from baby-sitting."

Ghia watched as her sister picked up The Asset with a small smile. "I believe those terms will be acceptable. However I have one more request."

She held his blaster out towards him, grip first. He reached for it but she didn't let go.

"I wish to come with you."

He gave her a hard look. It probably wasn't a good idea, but then again he rarely had good ideas these days. Besides, who was he to deprive her of this opportunity to bring justice to Krrsantan? He might never get revenge on those who killed his parents, but he could help the twins get their revenge on that undeserving piece of _shabuir._

He tugged his blaster free and holstered it. "Deal."

* * *

"There it is. Dathomir."

Din prepared for the descent. He was not unaware of the dangers native to this planet. Witches they called Nightsisters were said to roam the bleak landscape that was tormented with all sorts of unforgiving creatures. He knew from first hand experience exactly what an enraged rancor could do to a man, and he had no plans of taking leave of his limbs today.

"I'm going to set her down near the ruins. It should keep us from prying eyes and mask our approach."

Every meter closer to the surface seemed to add a heaviness to Din's shoulders. He hoped the plan they concocted would go off without a hitch, however unrealistic that hope might be.

"There."

Ghia pointed out the landing spot as soon as the Razorcrest cut through the layer of dust in the atmosphere. They landed on the edge of a village that had clearly been abandoned long ago.

"According to the database, The temple shouldn't be too far from here. If your contact was telling the truth, Krrsantan will most likely be there."

"Why do you sound doubtful?"

"Because I don't know what will be waiting for us when we open the doors. It's been said that the witches who live here have the ability to raise the dead to fight again." He gave her a sideways glance. "Are you sure-"

"I'm going." She raised her hood and slipped on her gloves. "I have the coordinates. I lead, you watch our backs."

He raised his brow but didn't comment as he opened the bay doors and they descended into the heat of the red planet. The air felt smothering, dulling even the echo of their footsteps as they tramped through the ruins, though it was the silence that bothered him the most. There were no signs of life anywhere, not even the creatures he'd been warned to guard against. It seemed to Din as if they were the only two living creatures left on the planet.

While his misgivings grew, it appeared that Ghia had none. She seemed dead set on reaching the temple as soon as possible, and nothing would turn her away. They climbed decaying walls and passed through half rusted doors until they were at the door of the temple.

Ghia put away her scanner and knelt down. "The sand looks disturbed here."

"Then we can at least be sure that someone is waiting for us inside, Krrsantan or otherwise."

"You suspect the Nightsisters?"

"Or worse." He pulled out his blaster. "Just be ready. I go in first, and you cover me."

"Fine."

Din paused to listen, and upon hearing only the slight whistling of the wind in the open air, he pushed open the door. Ghia was hard at his heels, but the two stopped dead at the cacophony of sound that met their ears. Curses and shouts, blaster bolts and the roar of a very angry Wookiee.

"Damn." Ghia hissed, and was off like a flash.

He took off after her.

In the center of a large antechamber was the Wookiee against five armed mercenaries, but before he could come up with any sort of plan Ghia was already charging in, eyes blazing.

"He's mine scum!" She snarled, and a knife went whizzing from her hand towards the nearest man. As he fell with a scream her pistol appeared in her outstretched palm, and she began firing indiscriminately at the two men who had turned to meet the newcomer with their weapons at the ready.

Krrsantan roared as the remaining mercenaries grappled on his back. He'd somehow lost his bowcaster in the struggle, and Din spotted it across the chamber. Unfortunately the only way to it was through the fray. He punched the closest assailant that had turned to shoot Ghia, then sent a shot over his shoulder towards one of the men on Krrsantan's back. The other quickly slid behind the Wookiee for cover. A bad idea, as it turned out. The Wookiee's arm swung back and the man went flying across the hall and into a nearby statue with a sickening thud.

Din heard Krrsantan making quick work of one of the mercenaries as he made it to the bowcaster, and all at once there were no more mercenaries standing, and every available weapon were in the hands if Din and Ghia. Each one was pointed squarely at the Wookiee's chest.

Krrsantan looked at them both, head held high. "If you're going to kill me, then I suggest you make it quick. More men will be here soon."

"We aren't going to kill you." Ghia hissed. "We're here to make you pay for the crimes of abduction you committed for Jabba the Hutt."

The Wookiee looked shocked, then a little confused as he tilted his head at her. "The Mandalorian I know but you... You must be one of the whelps I've wronged during my career."

Ghia glared at him.

Krrsantan coughed until blood dribbled out of his mouth. His teeth were stained red as he grimaced. "You'll have to forgive me for not recognizing you, I rarely make a habit of remembering the names or faces of those I've taken, for the list is long. Unless I was paid much to take them, in which case I made a habit of remembering. They were the ones more likely to try and kill me afterward, if they survived long enough to attempt it. You, however, I do not remember. I must not have gotten paid much for taking you. Strange how it's always the ones you least expect. The ones who are nothing."

The Wookiee roared as a bolt from his own bowcaster blasted him in the leg.

"I think it would be best if you keep your mouth shut." Din said calmly before handing the weapon off to Ghia, who was quivering with either rage or pain he could not tell. "If he makes any kind of move, aim for an arm. I don't want to have to carry him to the ship."

Din couldn't see any wounds on Krrsantan, but the Wookiee was laboring to breathe and put up very little resistance while being cuffed. The procession back to the ship was again silent, except for the huffing of the Wookiee as he limped on his injured leg over the rugged terrain. He didn't open his mouth until they were back on the ship.

"I don't suppose The Guild sent you Mandalorian."

"No."

He looked contemplative. "And I'm to be in carbonite."

"Yes."

"I don't suppose there's any use in asking you to reconsider."

"No."

A pause. "Very well."

Din positioned the Wookiee, and with nary a second thought froze him. It was over in a matter of seconds.

Steam filled the cargo hold, and when it cleared, Ghia's face appeared. For the first time since they'd met, she appeared at a loss.

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"I can't believe it."

Din grunted. He didn't have the heart to tell her that the operation went too smoothly, that there must have been a reason that the Wookiee came willingly. Other forces were at work. It was possible that Din and Ghia had inadvertently saved him from a fate worse than death. At least with the Republic he'd have access to a fair trial, good living conditions, and possibly a way to live out the rest of his days without the constant threat of a knife in his back.

Or maybe they'd given him access to an inside job. It was hard to tell with someone as wily as Krrsantan.

In a perfect world he'd be dead at the hands of fate, but life was unfair sometimes, even for the damned.

"Let's get going to the rendezvous point. I want that Wookiee off my ship as soon as possible."

Din strapped in, and Ghia soon followed suit. Less than twelve hours later they called in the code, and met on the surface of a small green planetoid as planned.

Ghia led the carbonite off the ship and onto the transport shuttle just as Tia emerged holding The Child. She took her sister's arm in a kind of salute, then looked after the slab thoughtfully as it disappeared into the bowels of the ship.

"I see you did what you set out to do."

"Yes."

She nodded. "He doesn't look like I remember him. He seems so... calm. It's hard to imagine it's the same Wookiee. His face has been etched into my mind with a sneer and a roar. I suppose time has a way of changing faces until they look like terrible masks."

"Krrsantan was a terrible Wookiee."

She smiled at him. "Perhaps. Thank you for letting me keep The Asset while you were away. He's a very gentle child."

"Troublesome you mean." Din said, but he couldn't deny the relief flooding through him at the sight of It, safe and happy in her arms. "Did your superiors get all the information they needed?"

"Yes, and you're report was most... instructive. General Organa wanted me to personally thank you on her behalf."

He nodded. He had heard the name before, and though it inspired great respect he knew very little of it's owner. "I think your sister is itching to leave. You'd best get on board before she flies off without you."

She stepped forward, but instead of giving him The Child put her free arm around him in a awkward hug. Din could only stand there, uncomfortable, until she released him and thrust the baby into his arms. "Goodbye Mandalorian, and thank you."

She rushed away, past Ghia, who was standing at the door hatch. She tossed him his money, which he deftly caught.

"We're in your debt Mandalorian."

"There is no debt."

The two regarded each other silently for a moment before she released a short nod, one he returned before the cargo doors began to close and she disappeared from sight.

He watched the transport until it was lost to the opalescent sky.

The Child cooed and reached out a hand to pat his helmet.

"You're right, it's about time we get going ourselves."

It laughed, and Din smiled. "It's good to see you too little one."


	6. Ex-boyfriend, binocs, & good luck charm

_Well folks, here I am, back again from the dead! Sorry for the long wait for this chapter, obviously a few things have happened since I last posted, and I just now started getting back into the groove of writing. __Yet I love this story with so much of my heart, so here I am again! This is just one of many more I hope to post during this quarantine._

_I hope you enjoy it!_

_Cheers :)_

* * *

**An ex-boyfriend, a pair of binoculars, and a good luck charm**

Din didn't think he'd ever find himself relaxing under the light of dual moons on the shores of a neon sea, yet here he was. His guard was officially down. Silky red sand slipped through bare fingers, and he reveled in the warm breeze that tugged at his hair and tickled his cheeks. He hadn't planned on being quite so unprotected, but when he'd taken off his helmet to clean it, The Child had stolen it right from under his nose. It's what he deserved for letting down his guard.

It was currently a bucket for candy colored shells, some of which housed crabs that were scuttling out of their prison and back into the reef. Not matter that The Asset had gotten bored of shell collecting about an hour ago and was now happily building sand castles. Din had decided to leave the helmet off, for a change. He was going to have to deep clean it sooner or later, so he decided on later for a change.

He let the light of the moons, almost as bright as the sun, wash over him as he listened to the gentle crashing of the waves. Unfiltered from his visual and audio filters, the sights and sounds of nature were quite soothing. It was as quiet a place as he could wish for. No locals to fend off, few aggressive wildlife to protect himself and The Asset against. It was perfect.

Unfortunately it wasn't to last long.

He was gazing off into the distance, eyes closed, when he received notification of an incoming message.

His communicator only showed one word: URGENT.

Din sighed. He took in the scene before him: The Child toddling in the water as It tried to capture the blue foam in It's small fingers, then laughing gleefully when It failed.

He smiled as he stood, tucking the image into the recesses of his mind to remember later.

After tucking a few shells into his belt for safekeeping, he took the better part of twenty minutes to remove what sand he could from his helmet. He couldn't get it all, but he got it enough to see out of the view screen properly.

"Sorry Kid, play time's over."

He picked up the sandy tyke with much regret and some difficulty, as It began to squirm in his arms. Turns out It wasn't unhappy, just harboring crabs in It's sopping wet tunic. Whether the crabs were playmates or potential snacks he couldn't tell, but he was still evicting the unwelcome guests as he changed the Baby's clothes into fresher, drier, much less sandy ones.

He handed It a shell to play with on his lap as he hit the playback on the comm.

It was from Cara, audio only on a discrete frequency.

_Hey Mando, long time no see. I've never been good at small talk so I'm going to cut to the chase. A few years ago I made a bad deal. I thought the whole thing was behind me, but the merc is back and has come to collect. I've got a plan, but I'd appreciate some backup. I'm hiding out on Coruscant at these coordinates. The sooner you can get here, the bet-_

Something was happening loudly in the background, and Cara sounded like she was muttering.

_I'll send you more instructions once you arrive. __Just get here as soon as you can, alright? I'll owe you a big one. _

The audio cut out and Din sat back, bemused. She sounded spooked. That was unlike her. Whoever the merc was, he must be pretty formidable to prompt Cara to ask for help, especially from him.

He immediately dispatched a response:

"We're coming."

And punched in the coordinates for Coruscant.

* * *

For the second time in two days Din found himself in another place he'd never imagined he'd be.

The restaurant was loud, smokey, packed, and Cara was nowhere to be seen. He checked her message again, just to be sure he was in the right place before approaching the serving droid. It took him to the table she'd apparently reserved, which was uncomfortably situated in the middle of the room next to a live band, underneath a large, fancy chandelier.

Eyes followed him as he walked, and at first he thought it was because of the Child in his arms, but he soon discovered the real reason. The glow from the numerous lights were reflecting off his beskar armor, lighting him up like a torch.

He had never felt more exposed.

_Can I get anything for you sir, while you wait for the lady?_

"I need a seat for the Child."

_Very good sir._

The droid jerked forward in a bad impersonation of a bow, and trundled off to accomplish his request.

Din hazarded a look around. Though he was now sitting down, eyes were continually looking his direction. Some curious, many amorous. He was used to attention, but not to this degree. It was as if Cara had chosen the exact seat to showcase him, not a very good move considering she was supposedly in hiding. Something was definitely off about this, he just couldn't put his finger on what.

_For the baby, sir._

Another strange, oddly specific request of Cara's was that he have The Kid with him. He hadn't been inclined to leaved It alone on the ship since that never worked out well for him anyway, but to bring It to one of Coruscant's most popular restaurants when he was expecting to help her with a dangerous merc? It didn't make any sense.

He was fighting to fit the Baby into It's seat when he heard Cara's voice. A quick sweep of the room didn't reveal her, and yet...

His hands froze. His mind was a blank as is eyes latched on to a familiar- yet strange- figure sashay through the crowd behind the serving droid. Their eyes locked from across the room. She smiled Cara's smile- a wolfish grin with bared teeth and flashing eyes- yet that was where the similarity ended. She was wearing what looked like armor at first glance, but turned out to be a metallic dress that showed far too much skin to be of any real protection. Her hair, usually unkempt, fell like a waterfall off the side of her face and onto excruciatingly bare shoulders.

When she reached the table, he could do nothing but stare.

_Would the lady like a drink?_

"Merenzane Gold."

_And for you sir?_

It took Din a moment to gather his thoughts, which were considering Cara's dress and how it managed to stay up without any straps, especially considering the size of her-

"Mando? The guy asked you a question."

She was wearing a smirk, and Din blushed in spite of himself.

"Uh, a milk. For the Child."

_Very good sir, madam._

He finished fitting The Baby in It's seat and cleared his throat. "What's with the fancy digs? I thought I was here to help rid you of a merc."

"You are." She frowned and adjusted her arm cuffs, which upon closer inspection were definitely not accessories as much as weapons.

Even dressed up she was still Cara. The thought reassured him.

A little.

"Why The Kid?"

"My good luck charm, if the gods be kind," she muttered. "Don't worry, he won't be in danger."

She scooted towards him on the bench seat, put her hand on his arm and crossed her leg till it was almost overlapping his. She arched her brows at him, and he could only sit there dumbly as the droid returned with the drinks. She reached across him with a coy smile to give the blue milk to the Child, and in ten seconds flat downed her own drink.

"Another drink please, waiter."

"You trying to get drunk?"

"I'm trying to loosen up. I don't have a mask to hide all my emotions like you've got, you lucky bastard. All I've got is this ridiculously painted face." Here she scowled, and it brought Din some measure of comfort, although not any more enlightenment.

"What's going on Cara?"

"You're my decoy boyfriend."

Though she could not see his face, she apparently could feel his shock.

There was a desperate tint to her eye. "Vox and I were together for a while, ran ops on the same team, enjoyed roughing up old Empire lackeys. When I left... well, I hate good-byes."

"You left your boyfriend without saying good-bye?"

"It wasn't like we were together, together, we just made out a bunch of times."

He was silent.

"Alright fine we more than made out, but it was no big deal! It wasn't like we were pledged to each other or anything. It's been years, he should have gotten over it by now."

"If you're trying to make him get over it, maybe putting on that getup was a bad idea."

"Trust me, this is just the icing on the cake. The guy's got a temper. He'll hate seeing you with me, and when he tries something, which he will, I'll take him out."

"So you brought me and The Kid all the way across the galaxy to be your bait."

"More like arm candy. Don't tell me you were actually doing something fun when I called?"

He sighed as he thought of the beach and the moons. "I was, actually."

"Well I'll make it up to- hst! There he is!" Her hand dug painfully into his shoulder.

Din identified the man immediately. "Really? A Dathomirian?"

"He was a great kisser, alright?"

"Among other things, apparently."

She kicked him. "Shut up and pretend we're having a good time."

"Oh, I already am."

Din thanked his gods that he was wearing his helmet. The only thing he had to do was put his arm around Cara's shoulders and let her do the rest.

The Nightbrother would have been stupid to miss them sitting there, glittering underneath the chandelier, which had been Cara's plan undoubtedly. He'd seen them the minute he entered the room, and he did, indeed, look mad.

Cara placed her hand on Din's helmet as if it were his cheek, and looked lovingly into his eyes. It made him more nervous than her scowl.

"What is this Carasynthia?"

"Vox." She said cooly. "This is my partner, Mando."

The Dathomirian eyed The Child with a frown. "I thought you hated children."

"Yes, but not this one. This one came with a handsome man attached." She ran a finger along the length of Din's helmet, and he had to force himself to remain still.

Vox seemed unconvinced. "This is ridiculous, even for you, to go to such lengths to ignore me. I thought I told you what would happen if you kept up this farce."

"And I thought I told you to lay off, Vox," Her eyes flashed. "How annoying it must be to have your requests continuously ignored."

"You are deliberately antagonizing me. I promise you, continue to do so and you will regret it."

"That a threat?"

"Take it as you will."

Apparently, that was the invitation Cara had been waiting for.

She was on her feet in a flash. The nightbrother had not anticipated her acting with such agility in that dress, and Din was equally surprised. Her punch snapped his head backward. Someone screamed. She pulled a gun from gods knew where, and fired a few shots before Vox could kick it across the room. He dodged another punch. With deft movements he trapped her arms at her side.

Cara scrabbled at his belt, then with a roar broke free. But her hands were no longer empty. A pair of binoculars had been dangling on his belt, and she yanked them. He stumbled to his knees, and with one wide swing she wrapped the string around his neck. He gagged as she vaulted over his shoulder and pulled the binocs back with a vicious jerk.

"Submit!"

He choked, scrabbling at the string to get air.

"You will leave me alone or you will die."

Din thought that an extreme ultimatum, but it was Cara they were dealing with.

Vox was fading, eyes rolling, when she finally released him.

"Do you submit?"

He gasped, and it took a moment for him to finally respond. "I- submit."

She pointed at Din. "You are my witness. If Vox should recant his promise, he shall be killed."

"This is the way." He replied, though he wasn't sure why.

"This is the way." Her hair was wild, her dress ripped, but she was smiling now, a visceral smile of victory. "Let's go Mando."

She retrieved her gun as he collected The Baby. The restaurant was strangely uninterrupted considering the scene they made, but perhaps lovers' tiffs happened there all the time. When they made it outside, she took a deep breath.

"I owe you one."

"I did nothing."

"You did more than you realize. You brought my good luck charm to the party." She played with The Baby's ears, who giggled and grabbed her hand. "Besides, when you've got a Mandalorian as a mate, a Dathomirian will be less likely to go back on their word."

"Mate..."

She winked at him and gave his arm a shove. "Come on. I can pay you when we get back to my ship, and then you can get back to doing whatever you Mandalorians do for fun."

"Dathomirians are known to be a suspicious race. It might be a good idea to stick around with us for a while just to prove the farce."

"You've got a point," she frowned. "It would be just like him to keep an eye on me for a while, even with a death threat. Any ideas where we could go?"

He considered for a moment, picturing red sandy beaches and twin moons. He looked at Cara, with her torn dress and triumphant smile, then down at The Asset, who was chewing on his cape and grinning.

A funny feeling entered his gut as he smiled. "I've got a few."


	7. A Jail, a Spy, and I'm Late

_Hello all! _

_I know it's been a while since I've updated this selection of one-shots for you, but what with Covid and the year of terrible, no good, very bad things happening, my muse of inspiration has been more absent than present of late :(_

_Enough of that, however! I'm back again, and would like to present you with this lovely fic I've been working on for the last couple days. It takes place soon after my last fic ends, which is pre-season 2, so there's only a slight spoiler for those of you who aren't up to date on the episodes. I also did not include a certain name of a certain favorite, hitherto un-christened baby. That will be included most likely in the next couple stories or so, so be prepared!_

_(For those of you who are up to date with the episodes... That last episode was literally the best one yet, AM I RIGHT?! Mando and Baby are a father/son duo to die for, and I'm legit still fangirling over all the cuteness :') _

_Anyways, cheers all, and enjoy the latest fic!_

* * *

**Prompts: Include "I'm late." Takes place i****n a jail. ****Include a character who spies.**

"I'm late."

"Not yet you're not."

"This is bad."

"I've been in worse."

"You've been in worse." Din muttered with a scowl.

This was one of those moments when Din wished he could remove his helmet, just so he could more precisely express his feelings to his compatriot. He attempted to twist around, and gasped as black spots danced in front of his eyes. He and Cara been sweltering, back to back, in this humid Rodian cave for at least twenty minutes, and he may or may not be a little worse for the wear thanks to a run in with one of the distinctly unfriendly locals.

"You good?" She asked, fiddling with her belt.

He decided it was best not to answer that questions. "You got any ideas on how to get out of this?"

"I've got a few."

Din knew they needed an idea soon if they were going to make it to the jail on time. This mission had been a debacle from the start, what with the ambush on Tatooine by Flestic Crupp, and then this. So far nothing had been going according to plan.

Fortunately for them, Din had set up a contingency. Unfortunately, that contingency relied upon them getting to the jail on time, and they'd already spent a lot of precious minutes strung upside down in this damnable trap, fighting off a particularly tenacious Ghest and the Rodian raiders who owned it. It had only been in the last couple minutes or so that they'd been able to give due attention to the restraining bolts holding them to the ceiling.

"Think you can prop me up so I can spend some time with those leg binders?" She asked.

"I'll do what I can."

"I just need you to keep me up there for a few minutes, and we'll have the contact and The Kid safe and sound on the Razercrest before dinner."

It was difficult, but somehow, someway, and somewhat painfully, he managed to morph his body around so he could offer Cara his arm. With a grunt she crunched upward and grabbed her legs while Din pushed on the middle of her back. She worked her way up till she could reach her feet, but Din's arm was stretched to it's limit.

"Work fast." He strained.

Sweat dripped into his eyes and his armor dug painfully into his bruised ribs. His arm muscles began to spasm, and he released a sound that could have been a desperate plea for mercy, which Cara didn't seem to hear.

"It's a good thing you've been carrying The Kid around all this time." She said at last, her voice echoing in the dripping chamber. "I'll bet all that strength training is really coming in handy right now."

He grunted.

"Alright Mando," She said a few moments later, "we're just about ready. Now I just need to..."

When she trailed off and released a gasp, he strained to look around his stiff arm.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," She answered in a strangely tight voice. "It's just- nothing. Forget it."

His finger slid off the trigger of his blaster with some annoyance. He was beginning to have trouble breathing. "What was that you were saying about being ready?"

"Right. On the count of three I'm going to release you, so get ready to drop. One, two-"

There was an electrical hiss, then Din felt gravity release him. For a blissful moment he was floating, then he was being sucked under by the swamp. The slimy, plant infested water filled up his armor and helmet and he came to the surface sputtering.

Cara was watching him, looking innocent. "Have a nice swim?"

He would have glared at her, but he was too busy waiting for his head to stop spinning.

"Call me crazy, but I'm beginning to think that mask of yours has emotions."

He ignored her and slowly moved into a crouch, halfway submerged in the fetid water. He released a long breath and took a moment to make sure he still had all of his gear.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say it was glaring at me."

He tentatively gained his feet. "That's because it, like me, is not happy about being dropped unceremoniously into swamp water."

"I gave you fair warning, I was just a little off with the count." She shifted and waved at him, and he got into position beneath her. With the use of both his hands, Cara was able to make quick work of her bolts. She landed easily on her feet, thigh high in the bog.

"What's that?" He nodded towards the glint of metal she was sequestering into a pocket.

"Haysian Smelt. It's a rare metal, but it comes in handy in a pinch. You can let me go now Mando, I'm not going to pass out if that's what you're worried about."

Din hastily removed his hands from her waist. He felt a sudden heat warm his cheeks, but chalked it up to the pain in his side and the humidity, and the blood that was still draining from his head from being strung upside down for half an hour.

He fumbled to turn on the holocron map, and quickly tried to refocus his thoughts on the task at hand. He jabbed his finger through a bio-dome on the map, to the indicated red dot which was blinking inside a rather well protected chamber. "That's the Kid. Our contact should be there too, if she's still alive, and we'll get access to both through the ventilation system. According to my sources, this particular route hasn't been updated with the new security measures, so we shouldn't trip any alarms."

"Seems easy enough."

Din ran point through the tangle of tunnels lined with stalagmites and stalactites, waist deep in stagnant waters. It became hotter and more difficult to navigate the closer they got to the biodome, but they kept a steady pace. They were lucky enough not to encounter any visible signs of life beyond the flocks of pests that stung every inch of exposed skin. They didn't bother Din much, thanks to his head to toe armor coverage, but they caused Cara to curse colorfully under her breath in several different languages.

"There it is, up ahead." Din pointed towards a blank rock wall. His heads-up display showed him the well hidden entrance, tucked between an odd outcropping of rocks.

When they made it to the entrance, Cara frowned. "I thought it'd be bigger."

"It's a vent. We're lucky this one is as big as it is." Din gently removed the cover and set it aside.

"I know that, but it's not exactly the best way to make a quick escape." Her voice was tight. "If anyone decided to sneak up from behind, we'd be sitting ducks."

"Maybe."

"Maybe I should stay here, keep an eye on things on this end."

He turned to look at her, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "I didn't think I'd see the day when you'd volunteer to keep away from the action."

"I'm not-" She grit her teeth. "You want me to crawl around that stinkin' tube? Fine. But don't come crying to me when our only escape route that doesn't involve Flestic Crupp or his men is swarming with raiders."

"Duly noted." He answered, only daring to grin because she couldn't see it. He handed her a pair of night vision goggles. "I'll go first, you watch my six."

"I'll watch your ass you mean," She muttered, and threw the vent a venomous glare as she snatched the goggles from his hand.

For all her apparent unease, he could tell she was easily keeping up with his unforgiving pace. Or maybe he was moving slower than he thought. Time seemed to suspend while they wriggled in the dark, with only a countdown on Din's heads-up display telling him that things were back on schedule. Some minutes later they turned the final corner to find their long crawl in the darkness was finally over. Din turned off his display so he could see the map better in the dim light. He motioned to Cara. "It's up ahead."

"Finally." She muttered.

Din heard her voice catch at the end of the word, and the labored breathing that had nothing to do with the heat or the strenuous crawl. He chose not to address it, but logged this new piece of information in the back of his mind for future reference.

Carasynthia Dune was claustrophobic.

He supposed everyone was afraid of something.

He closed his holocron map. "Alright, here's what we're going to do. Flestic Crupp probably knows I'm coming for the Kid someway other than the front door, so he'll have a lot of men posted in and around the entrance to the cells. I don't want to get into a gunfight if we don't have to-"

"Alright you little freak. Times running out, and it looks like he ain't coming."

Din's pulse spiked, and he slithered as silently and quickly as he could to the edge of the vent cover. Below him, chained to a chair made for a much bigger creature, was his Kid. In front of The Child stood a beefy, snarling Rodian, fingers twitching on a nasty looking device that pulsed with electrical surges.

"Now the boss said I wasn't to touch a hair on your little head, but seeing as what you did to me before... Well, I gotta teach you a lesson now, don't I? Nobody makes a fool of Ternal and gets away with it."

The Baby made a small noise of fear as the Rodian stepped closer. Din's heart was pounding madly against his armor.

"You don't want to get into a gunfight, huh?" Cara whispered close to his ear.

His hand was closed tightly around his blaster, the other was already prepared to release the wrist cable.

The Rodian thug reached toward the Kid with a malicious grin. Din released the cable, and the creature screeched as it became entrapped, then was yanked upward. Silence rang like a hammer fall as the Rodian's head contacted the ceiling with a crack, and Mando released the cable to let his body fall to the floor. Din dropped through the vent into the cell, and soon dispatched the two posted guards, while Cara bulls-eyed the third who came running from down the hall.

The Child gurgled and laughed as Din holstered his gun to do a quick once over. "You okay Kid?"

Its eyes brightened and It cooed.

"They put restraining cuffs on a kid?" He muttered darkly as Cara pulled out the Hasian Smelt. Soon the cuffs were released and The Child was free. It grabbed her finger, and she gave It a rare, gentle smile. "Good to see you're doing okay Kid."

The echoes of shouts and clanking armor were drawing closer.

"Where's the contact?" Din asked, rifling around in The Baby's tunic.

"Dead." She nodded to the next cell, where a lifeless body lay slumped against the wall.

"We need the body if we want the bounty."

"I'm on it."

As Cara left the cell, Din found what he was looking for with satisfaction. After inspecting the recording device he slipped it into a pocket and gently stashed The Child in It's satchel. He met Cara in the hall, who already had the corpse slung over her shoulders.

"I don't think we can drag a dead body through the vents." Din said at last, and thought he detected Cara's shoulder's dip with relief.

He took a moment to dispatch a lackey who foolishly ran through the door at the end of the hall without backup. "Looks like we're fighting our way out of this one."

The fire in Cara's eyes was back. "Just the way I like it."

* * *

"What's with all the blaster holes in the body?"

"Does it matter? You wanted her, dead or alive."

"Yes, but I didn't expect her to look so…." The Ithorian indicated the mutilated corpse with a sniff. "I'll give you half of the promised bounty, for damaged goods."

"I don't think you're in much of a position to barter," Din reminded their client dryly. "We did the job, we got you the information you wanted and more, and brought you the body. You were the one who endangered the mission by talking to Flestic Crupp, the Death Merchant. Not only did he kill your contact, but he endangered someone very close to me. You're lucky I don't ask for double, and bring word back to the Guild that you don't honor your word."

That threat ended negotiations in a quick and satisfactory manner, and soon Din and Cara were back on the Razercrest, leaving Tatooine's airspace.

"Remind me again why that recording device was on the Kid in the first place?" Cara asked, idly watching the planet disappear out the window.

"As a precaution. I thought Flestic would try something stupid like that ambush to draw me in."

"He just didn't expect you to use the little guy as a spy." Cara smiled slightly. "Smart move Mando."

"It was The Kid's idea actually." Din set the ship on autopilot and examined the device.

Not only had it provided important information on possible Empirical activity on a nearby planet, but it turned out that Crupp had some interesting things to say about Mandalorians, and possible locations of ones that were still living.

Din looked at The Baby, who grinned at him and slobbered all over the metal control bobble in his hand. Din handed him a snack, and the Baby took It's time considering which thing was more important. The snack eventually won out.

"You'd better get some sleep before we get back to Nevarro," Din said at last, as the silence lengthened. "Sounds like you're going to be pretty busy as the new Marshall."

"Yeah. Carga's lucky that I've decided to come back after this extremely restful vacation."

"I didn't hear you make any complaints."

"Yeah, well I wouldn't trade these last few weeks for anything."

She got to her feet and gave him a contemplative look that made his heart began to pound inexplicably.

"Is there something you needed?"

"I just wanted to say… you're a good dad. Better than a majority of the dad's I've met in this galaxy, and he isn't even your kid. What you've done for him, what you're doing... It's pretty amazing, that's all."

"Thank you." He said at last, when he wasn't sure what else to say. He didn't know what to do with this side of Cara, the soft side.

She folded her arms. "I was also wondering if your kind had any rules about shaving."

He blinked in surprise. "Uh…"

"I'm not saying you should, because I like a bit of scruff on a man myself, but I'm pretty sure I saw something dark on that sharp jawline of yours while we were hanging upside down in that cave."

"I... Uh, haven't shaved in a few weeks. Since you've been on the ship, in fact."

He had nothing to blame his blush on now as Cara laughed. "I was right, your mask really does have emotions of its own. Sweet dreams Mando." She tapped the edge of his helmet twice with her finger, then was gone.

Din hesitantly reached up to touch his helmet, and sat staring at the door long after she'd exited through it. It took a loud exclamation from the Kid to draw his eyes, dreamlike, away from the hatch. The Kid was wearing a grin.

Din dropped his hand with a scowl. "I don't know what you're looking so cheerful about. You were part of the problem. I told you not to wander away from the ship, but you did. The recorder might have been your idea, but you're lucky I put that tracker on you."

The Baby extended his hand for another snack, unrepentant. Din shook his head and handed him one. "You should sleep soon, you've had a long couple of days."

Din turned around in his seat and slumped down with a sigh. He closed his eyes, his thoughts revolving around Cara, and The Kid, and last few weeks they'd spent larking around the galaxy together. Eventually he felt The Kid crawl up into his lap and rest It's head against his beskar with a contented sigh. He stayed awake long enough to hear its long, even breathing before nodding off himself, the Baby wrapped gently in his cape, nestled in the crook of his arm.


End file.
